Folding scaffold



UNI-raA stars JOHN n. nerr, or wns'rnoox, iviINNnsoiA.'

FOLDING scarroLn.

To all 'whom t may concern.' Y

Be it known that 1,'JoHN D. Burr, a citizen of the United States,:residing at Westbrook, in the countyof vCottonwood and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingScaffolds; and l:v do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, suchA as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to scaffolds, and the primary object of theinvention is to provide an improved scaffold which can be readily foldedinto a compact form so that vthe same can be readily carried and storedin asmall space.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide an improved vscaffold whichcan be adjusted to vvarious heights and lengths, so that the same can bereadily used Vfor the desired work. l Y

A still further object lof the invention -is l to provide an improvedfolding andadjustable scaffold which isy durable and eflicient in use,one that is` simple and easy to manube hereinafter more fully described,claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a partthereof,r in which:

Figure 1 is a sidev elevation of the iml Y proved scaffold, in operativeposition.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the scaffold in its collapsedposition.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view ofthe scaffold.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the improved scaffold. Y ,y I

F ig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the scaffoldingshowing' the means for locking the braces in position.

Fig. 6 is av detail section illustrating the l lower surface'of thesections 2 and' 3 andy connection of a brace tothe base of the scaffold.v. .y

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the vline 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnte Maly 3, 1921 VApplicationfiled. September 26, 1919.. v Serial No'. 326,430. i

Referring to the drawings inl detail,

. wherein similar reference characters desig-l nate corresponding Vpartsthroughout the kseveral views, .the numeral 1 generally indicates theimproved scaffold, which includes the base 2 formed of apair of slidablycon'-` nected sections 3 and-4and the supporting y legs 5. V

vrl`he sections 3 and 4 are each preferably formed from a single plankand are provided with a plurality of parallel arranged Vlongitudinallyextending slots 6, which end' short of the outer ends of the base andprovide a plurality ofinteritting sliding fingers 7. rEhe vinner ends ofeach of the sections 3 and 4 carry guide straps 8, whiche`xtendtransversely across the sections andare then bent downwardly andinwardly into engagement with the lower surface yof the secpermit thesame to be adjusted to the desiredlength.

The slots 6 terminating short of the sections provide a solidhandportion10, the

lower surface ofwhicli carries the brackets 11k for the reception of thelegs 5. The brackets 11 carried by the outer ends of the sections, arepreferably formed from asinrvgle istrip, of Ymaterial bent to forinthe.U- shaped yolres 12 and the outstandingA attaching portionsl. rFheupper terminals The legs v5 extend downwardly from the U- shaped yokesin diverging relation to each other, so as to form a relatively widesup,-

porting base and the lower endsof the legs are connected'by atransversely extending brace bar 15. It can be seen Vthat the upperterminals of the legs can readily-,be swung on their pivots 14 intoengagement with the thus form a veryv compact structure.V

'v The legs -5i each include a slidingV section 16, by means of whichthe legs can be adjusted to the desired length, so as to adjust ,ofthelegs 5 are .positionediii the. U-shaped,l l Vyokes l12 and held in placeby pivot pins 14.

" the height of the scaffoid ana-each of the f sections 16 carries aspaced U-shaped yoke 17, which forms a guide Vfor receiving the leg 5.The sections 16 are held in their adjusted position by means of setscrews 18 which are' carried by the sections 16 and which are adapted toextendinto the spaced sockets 19 formed in the metallic strips 2Ocarried by the inner surface of the legs 5. The legs 5 are provided withmarkings 21, in alinernent with the sockets 19, and the sliding section16 carries a pointer or the like in alinement with the set screw 18 andthus when the pointer 22 is in alinement with any one of the markings21, the user of the scaffold can at once see that the set screw is inalinement with vthe socket and can be threaded into the same.V The innerends of the set screws have nuts thereon which fit into recesses on theinner faces of the extension members 16.

Diagonally and inwardly extending braces 25 are carried by the bracebeams 15 so as to hold ythe legs in their extended position and thecentral portion of the braces 15 is provided with aV reduced roundedportion 26, which rotatably receives a split collar 27,

having the outwardly extending feet 28 which are positioned in theslotted end 29 of the diagonally extending braces 25. A suitable bolt 30extends through the brace and feet for holding the brace inposition.

- The inner end of the brace has a plate 30 secured-thereto which isprovided with a reduced hooked end 31 which is adapted to engage thehook 32, formed on the plate 33 and the latter is secured to the centralfinger of the section pivotally supporting the brace bar. One portionofthe hook 32 is provided with a closed end 34: so that the Vhook 31 canonly be slid into engagement vwith the hook 32 in one direction, andthel whenthe scaffold is in its complete extended position and theopposite diagonally eX- tending brace carries a link chain engaging imember 38, which includes a shank 39 carried by the connecting bolt ofthe diagonally extending brace .and collar 27 having an enlarged flathead which is adaptedv to be extended into any one of the links to holdthe same against movement. To fold the device, the braces 25 aredetached from the base and the legs are folded againstV said base asillustrated in Fig. 2. Th@ legs 5 Vset forth.

the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing the conditionsconcurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, Idesire to emphasizethat various minor changes in details ofconstruction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to,when required without sacrificing any of the advantages vof myfinventionas What I claim as new is: '1. 'A folding scaffold of 'the classydescribed including a pair of sections having Vouter solid ends andinwardly extending inonally extending braces pivotally carried by saidtransverse brace barsy and arranged to detachably engage the lowersurface of the first mentionedV sections, as vand' for the purposespecified.

2. A folding scaffoldV of the' dass de' scribed including a pair ofslidably connected sections, pivoted legs" carried by the outer ends ofthe sections, longitudinally extending metallic plates carried bytheinner surface of the legs, said plateshaving a plurality ofequidistantly spaced sockets formed therein, spaced U-shaped guide yokescarried by the legs, sliding sections mounted in said yokes, set screwscarried by 4 said sliding sections and arranged to engage in any one ofsaid sockets, said legs having graduations formed thereon showing the'position of said sockets, anda pointer carried by the last mentionedsections adj acent to' the set screws, as and for thepurpose specified.Y

3. In a` device of the class described, a pair of slidable connectingsections, pivoted legs carried by the outer ends of the sections`transversely extending brace, barsy secured to the lowerends of thelegs,` a pivoted diagonally extending brace .carried by the brace bar, ahook secured to ther free ends ofthe braces, a coperating hook carthehook on the diagonally extending brace -In testimony whereof I vallix mysignature being arranged to lit in the hook carriedl by in presence oftwo Witnesses. l the section, and a pivoted catch arrange to 10 engagethe hook carried by the section to JOHN D RUPP 5 prevent the accidentaldisplacement of the Witnesses:

hook carried by the brace, as and for the y A. HAYS, purpose specified.WM. KNUTSON.

